Method for cultivating plant

ABSTRACT

A plant-cultivating method is provided which comprises a red light irradiation step (A) and a blue light irradiation step (B), wherein the step (A) and the step (B) are independently carried out for a predetermined period of time under cultivation conditions such that the humidity in a cultivation atmosphere at the step (A) is higher than that at the step (B). Preferably the humidities in a cultivation atmosphere at the step (A) and the step (B) are in the ranges of 60%-90% and 40%-60%, respectively.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a method for cultivating a plant. Moreparticularly it relates to a method for cultivating a plant while theplant is irradiated with an artificial light using a light-emitting lampfor plant cultivation whereby growth of the plant is promoted.

(2) Description of Related Art

Light-emitting technology has heretofore been adopted for growingseedlings or promoting growth of plants whereby a cultivation period ofplants can be shortened and frequency of harvesting in the same farm canbe increased. Plants can be grown to a large size within a predeterminedperiod of time, and the crop yield can be enhanced.

As a plant cultivation technique utilizing artificial light irradiation,an illumination facility for irradiating a plant alternately with greenlight and white light has been proposed, for example, in patentdocument 1. In this illumination facility, plants are irradiatedalternately with green light having a wavelength of 500 to 570 nm andwhite light having a wavelength of 300 to 800 nm whereby simulated dayand night are created. Consequently the sugar translocation within plantbodies is smoothly effected and growth of plants is enhanced.

Another proposal has been proposed in patent document 2, which comprisesan illumination lamp facility equipped with a light emitting diode (LED)for irradiating plants alternately or concurrently with blue lighthaving a wavelength of 400-480 nm and red light having a wavelength of620-700 nm to supply light energy for cultivation, growth, and tissuecultivation of plants. This illumination lamp facility is characterizedas irradiating plants selectively with light having a wavelengthcorresponding to the light absorption peak of chlorophyll, i.e., in thevicinity of 450 nm and the vicinity of 660 nm whereby the plants arecultivated with an enhanced energy efficiency.

It is stipulated in patent document 2 that blue light and red light maybe irradiated either concurrently or alternately (see patent document 2,claim 1). More specifically it is described in this patent document thatsingle radiation of blue light, single radiation of red light andconcurrent radiation of blue light and red light are compared with eachother, and it was verified that the concurrent radiation of blue lightand red light exhibited an enhanced effect on healthy growth of plants,which is similar to the growth achieved by sun light radiation, whereasthe single radiation of blue light or red light brings about unhealthygrowth such as spindling growth of plants (see patent document 2,paragraph [0011]).

It is further described in patent document 2 that blue light and redlight are alternately irradiated by blinking by means of a blinkingpattern at a high frequency of several megahertz or more (see patentdocument 2, paragraph [0006]). However, patent document 2 is silent on amethod of alternately conducting a blue light irradiation step and a redlight irradiation step, and thus growth promoting effects achieved bythe alternate light irradiation method are not verified.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS Patent Documents

-   Patent document 1: JP 1994-276858A-   Patent document 2: JP 1996-103167A

To enhance the productivity in plant cultivation, a plant cultivationmethod utilizing artificial light irradiation, which is simple and easy,and exhibits enhanced energy effect and excellent growth promotioneffect, is eagerly desired.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvedmethod of cultivating a plant using an artificial light-irradiatingfacility, whereby the plant can be cultivated with more enhanced growthpromotion effect.

The present inventors made extensive research for providing an improvedmethod for cultivating a plant using an artificial light-irradiatingfacility with more enhanced growth promotion effect, and have found thata plant-cultivation method comprising a step (A) of irradiating a plantwith a red light and a step (B) of irradiating the plant with a bluelight, wherein the two steps (A) and (B) are independently carried outfor a predetermined period of time, exhibits an enhanced growthpromotion effect, and further found that the growth promotion effectvaries depending upon the cultivation conditions, especially thehumidity in a cultivation atmosphere. Based on this finding, the presentinvention has been completed.

In accordance with the present invention, there are provided thefollowing plant-cultivating methods.

(1) A method of cultivating a plant comprising a step (A) of irradiatinga plant with a red light and a step (B) of irradiating a plant with ablue light, wherein the red light irradiation step (A) and the bluelight irradiation step (B) are independently carried out for apredetermined period of time under cultivation conditions such that thehumidity in a cultivation atmosphere at the red light irradiation step(A) is higher than that at the blue light irradiation step (B).

(2) The method of cultivating a plant as mentioned above in (1), whereinthe humidity in a cultivation atmosphere at the red light irradiationstep (A) is in the range of 60% to 90% and the humidity in a cultivationatmosphere at the blue light irradiation step (B) is in the range of 40%to 60%.

(3) The method of cultivating a plant as mentioned above in (2), whereinthe temperature in a cultivation atmosphere at the red light irradiationstep (A) is in the range of 18° C. to 25° C. and the temperature in acultivation atmosphere at the blue light irradiation step (B) is in therange of 18° C. to 25° C.

(4) The method of cultivating a plant as mentioned above in (1), whereinthe cultivation atmosphere at the red light irradiation step (A) ismaintained at a humidity higher than the humidity of the cultivationatmosphere at the blue light irradiation step (B) while an air stream isallowed to flow in the cultivation atmosphere at a flow rate in therange of 0.1 m/sec to 0.5 m/sec at the red light irradiation step (A)and at a flow rate in the range of 0.3 m/sec to 1 m/sec at the bluelight irradiation step (B).

(5) The method of cultivating a plant as mentioned above in (1), whereinthe red light-irradiation step (A) and the blue light irradiation step(B) are alternately and repeatedly carried out over a period of at leastone hour for each irradiation time.

(6). The method of cultivating a plant according to (1), wherein the redlight irradiation step (A) and the blue light irradiation step (B) arecarried out using an illumination lamp facility having red lightemitting elements and blue light emitting elements, both of which arecapable of being independently operated, and the red light emittingelements and the blue light emitting elements exhibit a light emissionintensity ratio of red light to blue light of at least 1:1 as expressedby a ratio of photosynthetic photon flux density of red light to bluelight.

(7). The method of cultivating a plant according to (1), wherein the redlight irradiation step (A) and the blue light irradiation step (B) arecarried out using an illumination lamp facility having red lightemitting elements and blue light emitting elements, both of which arecapable of being independently operated, and the red light emittingelements and the blue light emitting elements exhibit a light emissionintensity ratio of red light to blue light in the range of 2:1 to 9:1 asexpressed by a ratio of photosynthetic photon flux density of red lightto blue light.

By the term “plant(s)” as used in this specification, we mean plants ina broad sense which include leaf plants, fruit plants such as strawberryand tomato, grains such as rice and wheat, and algae. The plants furtherinclude phytoplankton such as green algae, and mosses.

By independently carrying out the red light irradiation step (A) and theblue light irradiation step (B), and further controlling the humidity ina cultivation atmosphere in the specific range in the plant-cultivationmethod comprising a red light irradiation step (A) and a blue lightirradiation step (B) according to the present invention, the totalamount of ascorbic acid which is a valuable vitamin, in the grown plantis increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an illumination lamphaving red light emitting elements and blue light emitting elements asused in the plant-cultivation method of the present invention.

FIG. 2, (a) through (b) are schematic plan views showing arrangements ofred light emitting elements and blue light emitting elements inillumination lamps as used in the plant-cultivation method of thepresent invention, wherein the arrangements of light emitting elementsare different from those in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Preferred modes for practicing the invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings. The described modes by no meanslimit the scope of the invention.

The plant cultivation method of the present invention is characterizedby comprising a step (A) of irradiating the plant with a red light and astep (B) of irradiating the plant with a blue light, wherein the redlight irradiation step (A) and the blue light irradiation step (B) areindependently carried out for a predetermined period of time undercultivation conditions such that the humidity in a cultivationatmosphere at the red light irradiation step (A) is higher than that atthe blue light irradiation step (B).

When red light and blue light are irradiated on a plant, the lightabsorption curve of chlorophyll has different peaks attributed to thered light and the blue light. Thus the red light and the blue lightexhibit different functions. The red light is concerned with activationof phytochrome, and blue light is concerned with activation ofphototropin and cryptochrome.

The present inventors have investigated the difference between thefunctions of red light and blue light in the growth of plants, and foundthat red light tends to enlarge the area of plant leaves, and the bluelight tends to enlarge the thickness of plant leaves and to be concernedwith the production of vitamins. The present inventors have furtherinvestigated the functions of red light and blue light in the growth ofplants, and found that, in the case when the humidity in a cultivationatmosphere at the red light irradiation step is higher than that at theblue light irradiation step, the content of ascorbic acid in the plantis increased.

Appropriate temperature and humidity are required for photosynthesis ofplants. However, the desired temperature and humidity conditions varydepending upon the kind of light, i.e., whether the red light or theblue light is irradiated.

The growth promotion effect achieved by independently carrying out thered light irradiation step (A) and the blue light irradiation step (B)can be more enhanced when the temperature and the humidity in acultivation atmosphere at the red light irradiation step (A) ismaintained in the ranges of 18° C. to 25° C. and 60% to 90%,respectively; and the temperature and the humidity in a cultivationatmosphere at the blue light irradiation step (B) is maintained in theranges of 18° C. to 25° C., and 40% to 60%, respectively.

The reason for which the above-mentioned enhancement in the growthpromotion effect is not clear, but it is presumed that, when the redlight irradiation step (A) and the blue light irradiation step (B) areindependently carried out, the reaction of chlorophyll greatly variesdepending upon the particular humidity in a cultivation atmosphere. Inother words, adequate control of humidity in the cultivation atmosphereand independently taking steps of red light irradiation and blue lightirradiation enhance the plant growth promotion effect. It is furtherpresumed that the light irradiation conditions and the humidity changein a cultivation atmosphere have a close relationship with transpirationthrough stoma openings of plants and have an effect on the chemicalreactions occurring inside the leaves.

It is preferable that the cultivation atmosphere at the red lightirradiation step (A) is maintained at a humidity higher than thehumidity of the cultivation atmosphere at the blue light irradiationstep (B) while an air stream is allowed to flow in the cultivationatmosphere at a flow rate in the range of 0.3 m/sec to 1 m/sec at theblue light irradiation step (B) and at a flow rate in the range of 0.1m/sec to 0.5 m/sec at the red light irradiation step (A). By allowing anair stream to flow at the above-mentioned flow rate, the humidity havingan effect on plants can be adjusted adequately and uniformly within ashort period of time, and the photosynthesis process of chlorophyllproceeds smoothly.

Illumination Lamp for Plant Cultivation

In the plant cultivating method of the present invention, anillumination lamp facility for plant cultivation having red lightemitting elements and blue light emitting elements, both of which arecapable of being independently operated, is preferably used foralternately and repeatedly carrying out the red light irradiation step(A) and the blue light irradiation step (B) over a predetermined periodof time.

The illumination lamp facility is preferably provided with a controlpart capable of independently turning on and out the red light emittingelements and the blue light emitting elements. By the provision of thecontrol part, the red light and the blue light can be irradiatedalternately or concurrently, and for a desired period of time, dependingupon the particular plant so as to attain the enhanced growth promotioneffect.

The control part is preferably provided with a lamp controller (i.e.,light emission intensity-controlling means) capable of controlling thelight emission intensity ratio of red light to blue light. By theprovision of the lamp controller, the light emission intensity ratio ofred light to blue light can be controlled so as to attain more enhancedgrowth promotion effect.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferable example of an illuminationlamp for plant cultivation which has red light emitting elements andblue light emitting elements. This illumination lamp 1 has a lightirradiation part 11 having a rectangular shape in the planar view, andfurther has a control part (not shown) for controlling the lightirradiation part 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the light irradiation part 11 is provided withplural red light emitting elements 2 and plural blue light emittingelements 3. In the plant cultivation lamp 1, as exemplified in FIG. 1,the ratio in number of red light emitting elements 2 to blue lightemitting elements 3 is 2:1.

Plural red light emitting elements 2 are arranged with equal intervalsalong a straight line extending in the length direction, and plural bluelight emitting elements 3 are also arranged in a similar manner. Thestraight line of red light emitting elements 2 and the straight line ofblue light emitting elements 3 are substantially parallel to each other.

The number of red light emitting elements 2 and the number of blue lightemitting elements 3 may be the same or different in the illuminationlamp 1, although the ratio in number of red light emitting elements toblue light emitting elements in the lamp illustrated in FIG. 1 is 2:1.

The rate of plant growth sometimes varies depending upon the lightemission intensity ratio between blue light and red light. For example,some plants exhibit enhanced rate of growth when the red light emissionintensity is larger than the blue light emission intensity. For theseplants, it is preferable to use a plant cultivating illumination lamp 1having a light emitting part provided with a larger number of red lightemitting elements 2 than blue light emitting elements 3. By using thelamp 1 provided with a larger number of red light emitting elements 2than blue light emitting elements 3, the light emission intensity of redlight can be higher than that of blue light.

For some plants, the light emission intensity of red light is preferablylarger than that of blue light. Practically, for these plants, the lightemission intensity ratio of red light to blue light is preferably atleast 1:1, more preferably in the range of 2:1 to 9:1, and especiallypreferably in the range of 2:1 to 5:1. It is preferable to use anillumination lamp having a light emitting part provided with a largernumber of red light emitting elements than blue light emitting elements,which part gives output beam having a light emission intensity ratio inthe above-mentioned range when an appropriate current is applied to therespective red light emitting elements and blue light emitting elements.The illumination lamp is preferably such that an applied electricalcurrent can be exactly adjusted and the ratio of light emissionintensity of red light to that of blue light can be desirably varieddepending upon the particular kind of plant by precisely adjusting theelectrical current.

If the ratio of light emission intensity of red light to that of bluelight is smaller than the above-specified range, i.e., the blue lightemission intensity is too large as compared with the red light emissionintensity, the desired rate of growth is difficult or impossible toattain. In contrast, if the ratio of red light emission intensity toblue light emission intensity is larger than the above-specified range,i.e., the red light emission intensity is too large, the desired rate ofplant growth is also difficult or impossible to attain, and, forexample, undesirable growth such as spindly growth or overgrowth tendsto occur.

As modification of the light irradiation part 11 of lamp 1 asillustrated in FIG. 1, which is provided with different numbers of redlight emitting elements 2 and blue light emitting elements 3, variouslight emitting parts having red light emitting elements 2 and blue lightemitting elements 3, which are arranged in different manners, can beused. Specific examples of the arrangement of red light emittingelements 2 and blue light emitting elements 3 in the light irradiationpart 11 are illustrated in FIG. 2, (a) through (d).

In FIG. 2, (a) through (d), each of light emitting parts 11 a, 11 b, 11c and 11 d have red light emitting elements 2 and blue light emittingelements 3, the ratio in number of the elements 2 to the elements 3 is2:1. In these figures, white square □ and black square ▪ indicate redlight emitting element 2 and blue light emitting element 3,respectively. The red light emitting elements 2 and the blue lightemitting elements 3 are preferably arranged so that the distribution oflight emission intensity is uniform over the entire light emissionsurface of each part 11 a, 11 b, 11 c or 11 d.

In the light irradiation part 11 a as illustrated in FIG. 2 (a), lightemitting elements 2 and 3 are regularly distributed to form plural rowseach extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the lightirradiation part 11 a, and form plural columns each extending inparallel in the direction perpendicular to the plural rows. Along eachof the plural rows, light emitting elements 2 and 3 are arranged atequal intervals so that a unit comprised of two red light emittingelements 2 and one blue light emitting element 1 repeatedly occurs alongeach row. Along each of the plural columns, plural red light emittingelements 2 or plural blue light emitting elements 3 are arranged atequal intervals. More specifically, in the arrangement as illustrated inFIG. 2 (a), three red light emitting elements 2 or three blue lightemitting elements 3 are arranged at equal intervals along each column.In this arrangement, six red light emitting elements 2 are arranged intwo adjacent columns to form a unit 2 a, and three blue light emittingelements 3 are arranged in one row to form a unit 3 a. The unit 2 a ofred light emitting elements 2 and the unit 3 a of blue light emittingelements 3 are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction of thelight irradiation part 11 a.

In the arrangement of light emitting elements 2 and 3 in the lightirradiation part 11 b as illustrated in FIG. 2 (b), these light emittingelements 2 and 3 are uniformly distributed to form plural rows eachextending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the lightirradiation part 11 b, and form plural columns each extending inparallel in the direction perpendicular to the plural rows. Along eachof the plural rows, light emitting elements 2 and 3 are arranged atequal intervals so that a unit comprised of two red light emittingelements 2 and one blue light emitting element 1 repeatedly occurs alongeach row similarly to in FIG. 2 (a). The irradiation part 11 b asillustrated in FIG. 2 (b) includes three kinds of columns, which arecomprised of (i) two red light emitting elements 2 and one blue lightemitting element 1 sandwiched between the two red light emittingelements, (ii) two blue light emitting elements 3 and one red lightemitting element 2 sandwiched between the two blue light emittingelements 3, and (iii) three red emitting elements 2, respectively. Thethree kinds of columns alternately occur in the longitudinal directionof the irradiation part 11 b.

In the arrangement of light emitting elements 2 and 3 in the lightirradiation part 11 c as illustrated in FIG. 2 (c), plural lightemitting elements 2 and 3 are uniformly distributed to form three rowseach extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the lightirradiation part 11 c, that is, red light emitting elements 2 form tworows and blue light emitting elements form a single row, all of the rowsextending in the longitudinal direction so that the single row of bluelight emitting elements 3 is sandwiched between the two rows of redlight emitting elements 2 in the light irradiation part 11 c. Lightemitting elements 2 or 3 in each row are arranged at equal intervals. Inthe arrangement illustrated in FIG. 2 (c), the blue light emittingelements 3 are arranged in a single row so that the center between twoadjacent blue light emitting elements 3 is located approximately on astraight line connecting the center of two adjacent red light emittingelements 2 in one row to the center of two adjacent red light emittingelements 2 in another row.

In the arrangement of light emitting elements 2 and 3 in the lightirradiation part 11 d as illustrated in FIG. 2 (d), plural lightemitting elements 2 and 3 are uniformly distributed to form three rowseach extending in parallel in the longitudinal direction of the lightirradiation part 11 d so that a unit comprised of two red light emittingelements 2 and one blue light emitting element 3 repeatedly occurs ineach row extending in the longitudinally extending direction, similarlyto the light irradiation part 11 a in FIG. 1 (a). Light emittingelements 2 and 3 in each row are arranged at equal intervals.

In the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 2 (d), the light emittingelements 2 and 3 occurring in the central row sandwiched between tworows are arranged so that the center between two adjacent light emittingelements is located approximately on a straight line connecting thecenter of two adjacent light emitting elements in one row to the centerof two adjacent light emitting elements in another row. Each columncomprised of three red light emitting elements 2 or three blue lightemitting elements 3 appears inclined from the direction perpendicular tothe longitudinal direction.

The light irradiation part of the illumination lamp facility as used inthe present invention preferably has a mixed light emitting package suchthat red light emitting elements and blue light emitting elements arearranged in a single light emitting package. The mixed light emittingpackage preferably has a function such that the red light emittingelements and the blue light emitting elements are capable of beingindependently controlled.

The ratio of the light emission intensity of red light to the lightemission intensity of blue light in the mixed light emitting package ispreferably at least 1:1, more preferably in the range of 2:1 to 9:1, andespecially preferably in the range of 2:1 to 5:1. By providing the lightirradiation part with such mixed light emitting package, the red lightemitting elements and the blue light emitting elements can be arrangedwith enhanced density in the light irradiation part.

Conventional red light emitting elements 2 and blue light emittingelements 3 can be used. For example, light emitting diode (LED) in whichthe desired wavelength can be easily selected and light energy withinthe effective wavelength region occupies a predominant part can be used.Laser diode (LD) and a electroluminescent (EL) element can also be used.The EL element used may be either an organic EL element or inorganic ELelement.

Red light emitted from the red light emitting elements 2 has awavelength in the range of 570 nm to 730 nm. Preferably the red lighthas a center emission wavelength within the range of 645 nm to 680 nm,and a wavelength in the range of the center emission wavelength ±50 nm,more preferably the center emission wavelength ±30 nm, and especiallypreferably the center emission wavelength ±10 nm.

Blue light emitted from the blue light emitting elements 3 has awavelength in the range of 400 nm to 515 nm. Preferably the red lighthas a center emission wavelength within the range of 410 nm to 510 nm,and a wavelength in the range of the center emission wavelength 450±30nm, more preferably the center emission wavelength 450±20 nm, andespecially preferably the center emission wavelength 450±10 nm.

The red light irradiated to a plant at the red light irradiating step(A) may include a minor proportion of lights other than red light, forexample, blue light, provided that the total irradiated light exhibits ared light emission intensity ratio of at least 60%. According to theresearch of the present inventors, enhancement of plant growth at thered light irradiation step (A) can be observed when the total irradiatedlight exhibits a blue light emission intensity ratio of up toapproximately 30%. The total irradiated light should preferably exhibita blue light emission intensity ratio of up to approximately 20%, andmost preferably zero. An example of the light irradiated to a plant atthe red light irradiating step (A) exhibits a red light emissionintensity ratio of 60%, a far-infrared light emission intensity ratio of20% and a blue light emission intensity ratio of 20%. Most preferableexample of the light irradiated at the red light irradiating step (A)exhibits a red light emission intensity ratio of 100%.

The blue light irradiated to a plant at the blue light irradiating step(B) may include a minor proportion of lights other than blue light, forexample, red light, provided that the total irradiated light exhibits ablue light emission intensity ratio of at least 60%. According to theresearch of the present inventors, enhancement of plant growth at theblue light irradiation step (B) can be observed when the totalirradiated light exhibits a red light emission intensity of up toapproximately 30%. The total irradiated light should preferably exhibita red light emission intensity ratio of up to approximately 20%, andmost preferably zero. An example of the light irradiated to a plant atthe blue light irradiating step (B) exhibits a blue light emissionintensity ratio of 60%, a far-infrared light emission intensity ratio of20% and a red light emission intensity ratio of 20%. Most preferableexample of the light irradiated at the blue light irradiating step (B)exhibits a blue light emission intensity ratio of 100%.

By the term “light emission intensity ratio” as used in thespecification, we mean those which are expressed by photosyntheticphoton flux density (PPFD; in μmol/m²s).

The red light and the blue light, irradiated from the light irradiationpart 11, preferably exhibit a photosynthetic photon flux density in therange of approximately 1 to 1000 μmol/m²s, more preferably approximately10 to 500 μmol/m²s and especially preferably approximately 50 to 250μmol/m²s.

The light emission intensity ratios of individual red light emittingelements and individual blue light emitting elements are notparticularly limited, provided that the total red light emissionintensity ratio of plural red light emitting elements and the total bluelight emission intensity ratio of plural blue light emitting elementsare within the above-mentioned range.

Illumination lamp facilities as preferably used for the plantcultivation are equipped with a control part. Emission intensities ofred light and blue light, emitted from the irradiation part 11, can becontrolled by varying the current value, applied to red light emittingelements 2 and blue light emitting elements 3, by the control part. Thusthe ratio of the emission intensity of red light to the emissionintensity of blue light can be adequately varied depending upon theparticular plant.

The plant cultivating illumination lamp 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1 isprovided with a pair of electrodes 41 and 42 for red light emittingelements 2 and a pair of electrodes 43 and 44 for blue light emittingelements 3. The plural red light emitting elements 2 are electricallyconnected by wires (not shown) to the electrodes 41 and 42. The pluralblue light emitting elements 3 are electrically connected by wires (notshown) to the electrodes 43 and 44.

The control part equipped in the illumination lamp facility 1 has afunction of independently turning on and off the red light emittingelements 2 and the blue light emitting elements 3 by supplying electriccurrent, respectively, via the electrodes 41 and 42 to the red lightemitting elements 2 and via electrodes 43 and 44 to the blue lightemitting elements 3.

The control part can be provided with a lamp controller (i.e., lightemission intensity-controlling means), which can turn on and off the redlight emitting elements 2 and the blue light emitting elements 3 so thatthe red light and the blue light are irradiated alternately orconcurrently, and for a desired period of time. Thus, the light emissionintensity ratio of red light to blue light, irradiated from the lightirradiation part 11, can be controlled so as to achieve the desiredgrowth of plants.

The lamp controller used includes, for example, one type which can varythe light emission intensities of the red light emitting elements andthe blue light emitting elements 3 by supplying different electriccurrents to a part or all of the red light emitting elements 2 and/or apart or all of the blue light emitting elements 3, thereby controllingthe total emission intensity ratio of red light to blue light,irradiated from the light irradiation part 11; and another type whichvaries the light emission intensities of the red light emitting elementsand the blue light emitting elements 3 by supplying an electric currentonly to a part of the red light emitting elements 2 and/or a part of theblue light emitting elements 3 to turn on a limited number of lightemitting elements, thereby controlling the total emission intensityratio of red light to blue light, irradiated from the light irradiationpart 11.

In the plant cultivation lamp 1, as specifically disclosed in FIG. 1,provided with a light irradiation part 11 having the same number of redlight emitting elements and blue light emitting elements, and with alamp controller, the same electric current can be supplied to all of thered light emitting elements 2 and all of the blue light emittingelements 3, whereby red light and blue light which have the same lightemission intensity are irradiated from the light irradiation part 11.

Alternatively, a plant cultivation lamp 1 which is provided with a lightirradiation part having the same number of red light emitting elementsand blue light emitting elements, but is not provided with a lampcontroller can be used in the case when the same electric current issupplied to all of the red light emitting elements 2 and all of the bluelight emitting elements 3.

As another operation of the plant cultivation lamp 1, as illustrated inFIG. 1, provided with a light irradiation part having the same number ofred light emitting elements and blue light emitting elements, and with alamp controller, different currents can be supplied to the red lightemitting elements 2 and the blue light emitting elements 3 so that thelight irradiation part 11 irradiates light with an emission intensityratio of red light to blue light being 2:1.

In the plant cultivation lamp provided with the light irradiation part11 a, 11 b, 11 c or 11 d, as specifically disclosed in FIG. 2, which hastwice as many red light emitting elements as blue light emittingelements, and with a lamp controller, the same current can be suppliedto all of the red light emitting elements 2 and all of the blue lightemitting elements 3 whereby the light irradiation part 11 irradiateslight with an emission intensity ratio of red light to blue light being2:1.

Alternatively, a plant cultivation lamp which is provided with a lightirradiation part having twice as many red light emitting elements 2 asblue light emitting elements 3, but is not provided with a lampcontroller, can be used in the case when the same electric current issupplied to all of the red light emitting elements 2 and all of the bluelight emitting elements 3 whereby the light irradiation part 11irradiates light with an emission intensity ratio of red light to bluelight being 2:1.

As another operation of the plant cultivation lamp 1 provided with thelight irradiation part 11 a, 11 b, 11 c or 11 d, as specificallydisclosed in FIG. 2, which has twice as many red light emitting elementsas blue light emitting elements, and with a lamp controller, twicecurrent as large can be supplied to all of the red light emittingelements 2 as to all of the blue light emitting elements 3 whereby thelight irradiation part 11 irradiates light with an emission intensityratio of red light to blue light being 4:1 (red light/blue light).

The emission intensity ratio of red light to blue light, which areirradiated from the light irradiation part 11, is preferably at least1:1, more preferably in the range of 2:1 to 9:1, and especiallypreferably in the range of 2:1 to 5:1, as mentioned above. In the casewhen the emission intensity ratio of red light to blue light is in thisrange, a highly enhanced plant growth can be attained by thesufficiently enhanced red light emission intensity as compared with theblue light emission intensity. When the emission intensity ratio of redlight to blue light is smaller than the above-specified range, thedesired high plant growth-enhancing effect is often difficult to attain.In contrast, when the emission intensity ratio of red light to bluelight is larger than the above-specified range, the desired high plantgrowth-enhancing effect is also often difficult to attain andundesirable growth such as spindly growth sometimes occurs.

The provision of the light irradiation part having the red lightemitting elements 2 and blue light emitting elements 3 is alsoadvantageous as compared with the conventional illumination lampfacility having red light emitting means and blue light emitting meanswhich are separately arranged, because the light emitting means can beeasily and steadily arranged in the illumination lamp facility 1 andundesirable deviation of the irradiation directions of red light andblue light can be minimized.

The light irradiation part 11 as illustrated in FIG. 1 has a rectangularshape in a plan view, therefore, the illumination lamp facility 1 can beeasily set in the position in which a conventional illumination facilitysuch as straight tube fluorescent lamp is set.

The illumination lamp facility is preferably provided with a converter,built in the lamp, of converting alternating current to direct currentfor LED because of ease in setting and effective utilization of space.The terminal on one side and the terminal on the other side arepreferably utilized separately for the red light emission and blue lightemission in view of arrangement of electrical sources built therein anddispersion in generation of heat.

Further the illumination lamp facility is preferably provided with adimmer for controlling LED in plural lamps and desirably adjusting thelight emission intensity ratio.

Plant Cultivation Method

The method of cultivating a plant according to the present inventionwill now be explained specifically and more in detail on an embodimentusing the illumination lamp 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The plant cultivation method of the present invention comprises a step(A) of irradiating a plant with a red light (which is hereinafterreferred to as “red light-irradiation step (A)” when appropriate) and astep (B) of irradiating a plant with a blue light (which is hereinafterreferred to as “blue light irradiation step (B)” when appropriate),wherein the red light-irradiation step (A) and the blue lightirradiation step (B) are independently carried out for a predeterminedperiod of time.

Preferably, the red light-irradiation step (A) and the blue lightirradiation step (B) are alternately and repeatedly carried out over aperiod of at least three hours for each irradiation time.

By the term “independently” as used herein, we mean that the redlight-irradiation step (A) and the blue light irradiation step (B) existseparately in the course of plant cultivation.

By the term “predetermined period of time” as used herein, we mean anoptional length of time within the course of plant cultivation. Themaximum length of the predetermined period of time equals to the entiretime length of the course of plant cultivation. The minimum lengththereof can be voluntarily set provided that the desired plantgrowth-enhancing effect can be attained. The predetermined period oftime can be expressed in unit of hour, day or minute depending upon theparticular length of time.

Each of the red light irradiation step (A) and the blue lightirradiation step (B) is carried out independently at least once,preferably at least two times, for the predetermined period of time. Inthe case when the red light irradiation step (A) and the blue lightirradiation step (B) are carried out dividedly in two times or more,time length of each operation of the red light irradiation step (A) andtime length of each operation of the blue light irradiation step (B) arepreferably at least one hour, for example, 1 to 48 hours, and morepreferably at least 3 hours, for example, 3 to 24 hours.

The red light irradiation step (A) and the blue light irradiation step(B) can be carried out either alternately and continuously, orintermittently with interposition of an operation of concurrentlyirradiating plant with red light and blue light between each operationof the red light irradiation step (A) and each operation of the bluelight irradiation step (B), or with pause of irradiation between eachoperation of the red light irradiation step (A) and each operation ofthe blue light irradiation step (B).

Transfer between operation of red light irradiation step (A) andoperation of red light irradiation step (A) can be conducted eitherinstantaneously or over a certain length of time. The transfer may beconducted in stages. During the transfer, operation of red lightirradiation step (A) and operation of red light irradiation step (A) mayoverlap with each other, or a pause of irradiation may intervene betweenoperation of red light irradiation step (A) and operation of red lightirradiation step (A).

Alternate flashing of red light irradiation and blue light irradiationby quickly repeating light flashing with a high frequency such as 1 Hzor higher is excluded from the light irradiation procedure adopted forindependently carrying out the red light irradiation step (A) and theblue light irradiation step (B) for a predetermined period of time inthe plant cultivation method of the present invention.

It is presumed that the mechanism of growth occurring due to lightirradiation in the plant cultivation method of the present invention isdifferent from the mechanism of growth occurring due to the alternateflashing of red light irradiation and blue light irradiation by quicklyrepeating light flashing with a high frequency such as 1 Hz or higher.In other words, in the case when operation of light irradiation isquickly repeated, the plant growth effect brought about by the flashedlight irradiation would vary greatly depending upon each time length oflight irradiation.

In the plant cultivation method of the present invention, each operationfor the red light-irradiation step (A) and each operation for the bluelight irradiation step (B) are carried out for a period of timesufficient for allowing the photosynthesis reaction and relatedreactions to occur in connection with environmental changes to an extentsuch that the desired plant growth is achieved.

In contrast, in the alternate flashing of red light irradiation and bluelight irradiation by quickly repeating light flashing with a highfrequency such as 1 Hz or higher, the photosynthesis reaction andrelated reactions do not occur to the desired extent. This is becauseeach flashing of red light irradiation and blue light irradiation occursfor a very short length of time which is insufficient for achieving theplant growth effect. The plant growth effect achieved by the alternateflashing is similar to that achieved by the operation of concurrentlyirradiating plant with red light and blue light.

The plant cultivation method of the present invention can be adopted forany period of time within the entire course of plant cultivationspanning from the time immediately after the germination of seeds orimmediately after the plantation of seedlings to the time of harvest ofgrown plants.

In the plant cultivation method of the present invention, the redlight-irradiation step (A) and the blue light irradiation step (B) areindependently carried out under cultivation conditions such that thehumidity in a cultivation atmosphere at the red light irradiation step(A) is higher than that at the blue light irradiation step (B).

More specifically the humidity in a cultivation atmosphere at the redlight irradiation step (A) is preferably maintained in the range of 60%to 90%, more preferably in the range of 65% to 80%, and the humidity ina cultivation atmosphere at the blue light irradiation step (B) ispreferably maintained in the range of 40% to 60%, more preferably in therange of 45% to 55%.

The difference between the humidity in a cultivation atmosphere at thered light irradiation step (A) and the humidity in a cultivationatmosphere at the blue light irradiation step (B) is preferably in therange of 10% to 30%.

With regard to the temperature, the temperature in a cultivationatmosphere at the red light irradiation step (A) is maintainedpreferably in the range of 18° C. to 25° C., and the temperature in acultivation atmosphere at the blue light irradiation step (B) is alsopreferably maintained in the range of 18° C. to 25° C.

It is preferable that the cultivation atmosphere at the red lightirradiation step (A) is maintained at a humidity higher than thehumidity of the cultivation atmosphere at the blue light irradiationstep (B) while an air stream is allowed to flow in the cultivationatmosphere at a flow rate in the range of 0.1 m/sec to 0.5 m/sec, morepreferably 0.2 m/sec to 0.4 m/sec, at the red light irradiation step(A), and at a flow rate in the range of 0.3 m/sec to 1 m/sec, morepreferably 0.4 m/sec to 0.6 m/sec, at the blue light irradiation step(B). By allowing an air stream to flow at the above-mentioned flow rate,the photosynthesis process of chlorophyll and related reactionprocesses, transpiration, and perspiration proceed more smoothly.

Preferably the flow rate of an air stream at the red light irradiationstep (A) is at least 0.1 m/sec larger than the flow rate of an airstream at the blue light irradiation step (B). The difference betweenthe flow rate of an air stream at the red light irradiation step (A) andthe flow rate of an air stream at the blue light irradiation step (B) ismore preferably in the range of 0.2 m/sec to 0.3 m/sec. By controllingthe difference in the flow rate of an air stream between the red lightirradiation step (A) and the blue light irradiation step (B) in theabove-specified ranges, desired temperature and humidity spreadadequately and uniformly over the plants, and consequently thephotosynthesis process of chlorophyll and other related reactionprocesses proceed far more smoothly.

The procedure by which the cultivation atmosphere with the desiredtemperature and humidity is realized is not particularly limited, and aconventional procedure can be adopted. A preferable procedure comprisessupplying an air stream having the desired temperature and humidity atan appropriate flow rate by using an air conditioner with an enhancedcontrolling capability. The flow rate of an air stream can be controlledby varying the number of rotation of an air-blowing fan or a damperopening at an air outlet of an air conditioner.

The plants to be cultivated by the method of the present invention arenot particularly limited, and this term means plants in a broad sensewhich include leaf plants, root plants, fruit plants, pluses, grains,seeds, algae, house plants and mosses.

The plant cultivation method of the present invention should not beconstrued to be limited to the modes described above.

The illumination lamp facility described above is equipped with a lampcontrolling means for controlling light emission intensity. The plantcultivation can also be carried out using an illumination lamp facilitynot equipped with the lamp controlling means. This illumination lampfacility is advantageous in that a lamp controlling means and itsaccessories can be omitted and the cost of equipment production isreduced.

EXAMPLES Preparation of Plants

In the following examples, reference example and comparative example,leaf lettuce (variety: summer serge) was tested for observing the growthstate.

Six seeds of leaf lettuce were sown at equal intervals in each testgroup on a peat van culture medium, and irradiated with fluorescentlight for 12 hours of light per day to be thereby germinated. The seedswere placed under the same irradiation conditions over a period of threedays spanning from seeding to germination. Thereafter seedlings wereraised under irradiation with fluorescent light to give leaf lettucesfor test.

Example 1

The raised seedlings of test leaf lettuces were placed in an environmentcontrol room wherein carbon dioxide concentration was maintained at 1000ppm.

An illumination lamp for plant cultivation used had a light emittingpart provided with 180 red light emitting elements and 60 blue lightemitting elements. Each red light emitting element was comprised of anLED emitting red light with a central wavelength of 660 nm and awavelength region of 640-680 nm. Each blue light emitting element wascomprised of an LED emitting blue light with a central wavelength of 450nm and a wavelength region of 430-470 nm. The illumination lamp furtherhad a control part for controlling the light emitting part so that thered light emitting elements and blue light emitting elements areindependently turned on and off.

The red light emitting elements exhibited a total emission intensity,i.e., a total photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), of 150μmol/m²·s. The blue light emitting elements exhibited a total emissionintensity, i.e., a total photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), of50 μmol/m²·s. Thus the total emission intensity ratio of red light toblue light was 3:1.

The red light irradiation step and the blue light irradiation step werealternately and repeatedly carried out for 12 hours for each irradiationtime per day, i.e., each light irradiation step was carried outseparately and continuously over a period of 12 hours per day. There wasno time for which the light irradiation was ceased.

At the red light irradiation step, the temperature and humidity in theenvironment control room were maintained at 20° C. and 75%,respectively. Under such temperature-humidity conditions, an air streamwas circulated at a flow rate of 0.3 m/sec in the environment controlroom. At the blue light irradiation step, the temperature and humidityin the environment control room were maintained at 20° C. and 50%,respectively. Under such temperature-humidity conditions, an air streamwas circulated at a flow rate of 0.6 m/sec in the environment controlroom.

A combination of the continuous irradiation of red light over a periodof 12 hours per day with the continuous irradiation of blue light over aperiod of 12 hours per day was repeated for 24 days.

When 24 days elapsed, the light irradiation was stopped and grown leaflettuces were harvested. Leaves were collected from rolled lettuces,and, fresh weight (g) of above-ground part of the lettuces and the totalcontent (mg) of ascorbic acid per 100 g of the lettuces were measured.The measurement results are shown in Table 1. The fresh weight and thetotal content of ascorbic acid are expressed by relative index as thevalues in Example 1 being 100.

TABLE 1 Examples, Comparative Examples Ex. 1 Ex. 2 Ref. Ex. 1 Co. Ex. 1*Red light irradiation Temperature (° C.) 20 20 20 20 Humidity (%) 75 7575 75 Flow rate of air stream 0.3 0.5 0.3 0.3 (m/sec) Blue lightirradiation Temperature (° C.) 20 20 20 20 Humidity (%) 50 50 75 75 Flowrate of air stream 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.3 (m/sec) Cultivation results Totalascorbic acid 100 98 88 88 content Fresh weight of above- 100 97 103 60ground part Note; *In Comparative Example 1, red light and blue lightwere concurrently irradiated

Example 2

By the same procedures as described in Example 1, leaf lettuces werecultivated except that an air stream was circulated at a flow rate of0.5 m/sec at both of the red light irradiation step and the blue lightirradiation step over the entire cultivation process. All othercultivation conditions remained the same as in Example 1. Thecultivation results are shown in Table 1. The cultivation results areexpressed by relative indexes as the values in Example 1 being 100.

Reference Example 1

By the same procedures as described in Example 1, leaf lettuces werecultivated except that the temperature and humidity in the environmentcontrol room were maintained at 20° C. and 75% respectively. An airstream was circulated at a flow rate of 0.3 m/sec. The temperature,humidity and flow rate of air stream were kept constant at both of thered light irradiation step and the blue light irradiation step over theentire cultivation process. All other cultivation conditions remainedthe same as in Example 1.

The cultivation results are shown in Table 1. The cultivation resultsare expressed by relative indexes as the values in Example 1 being 100.

Comparative Example 1

By the same procedures as described in Example 1, leaf lettuces werecultivated except that the red light irradiation step and the red lightirradiation step were concurrently and continuously carried out for 12hours per day, and the lamp was left put out for 12 hours per day. Theconcurrent irradiation of red light and blue light, and the lamp leavingput out were repeated for 24 days. The temperature and humidity in theenvironment control room were maintained at 20° C. and 75% respectively.An air stream was circulated at a flow rate of 0.3 m/sec. Thetemperature, humidity and flow rate of air stream were kept constant atboth of the red light irradiation step and the blue light irradiationstep over the entire cultivation process. All other cultivationconditions remained the same as in Example 1.

The cultivation results are shown in Table 1. The cultivation resultsare expressed by relative indexes as the values in Example 1 being 100.

As seen from the cultivation results in Table 1, when the humidity atthe red light irradiation step is higher than that at the red lightirradiation step according to the present invention (Examples 1 and 2),the fresh weight of above-ground part of the lettuces and the totalcontent of ascorbic acid are approximately the same as or only slightlysmaller than those in the case when the humidity at the red lightirradiation step is the same as that at the red light irradiation step(Reference Example 1), but, the total ascorbic acid contents in Examples1 and 2 are larger than those in Comparative Example 1.

When the red light irradiation and the blue light irradiation areconcurrently carried out (Comparative Example 1), the plant growth isslow and the total ascorbic acid content is low, therefore, the freshweight of the above-ground part is very small and thus the productivityis poor. The total ascorbic acid content is low.

According to the cultivation method of the present invention, althoughthe plant growth is enhanced, plants having a high ascorbic acid contentcan be produced.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of cultivating a plant comprisinga step (A) of irradiating a plant with a red light and a step (B) ofirradiating the plant with a blue light, wherein the red lightirradiating step (A) and the blue light irradiating step (B) areindependently carried out for at least one predetermined period of timeunder cultivation conditions such that the humidity in a cultivationatmosphere at the red light irradiating step (A) is higher than that atthe blue light irradiating step (B).
 2. The method of cultivating aplant according to claim 1, wherein the humidity in the cultivationatmosphere at the red light irradiating step (A) is in the range of 60%to 90% and the humidity in the cultivation atmosphere at the blue lightirradiating step (B) is in a range of 40% to 60%.
 3. The method ofcultivating a plant according to claim 2, wherein the temperature in thecultivation atmosphere at the red light irradiating step (A) is in arange of 18° C. to 25° C. and the temperature in the cultivationatmosphere at the blue light irradiating step (B) is in the range of 18°C. to 25° C.
 4. The method of cultivating a plant according to claim 1,wherein the humidity of the cultivation atmosphere at the red lightirradiating step (A) is maintained higher than the humidity of thecultivation atmosphere at the blue light irradiating step (B), while anair stream is allowed to flow in the cultivation atmosphere at a flowrate in a range of 0.1 meters/second (m/sec) to 0.5 m/sec at the redlight irradiating step (A) and at a flow rate in a range of 0.3 m/sec to1 m/sec at the blue light irradiating step (B).
 5. The method ofcultivating a plant according to claim 1, wherein the red lightirradiating step (A) and the blue light irradiating step (B) arealternately and repeatedly carried out over a period of at least onehour for each at least one predetermined period of time.
 6. The methodof cultivating a plant according to claim 1, wherein the red lightirradiating step (A) and the blue light irradiating step (B) are carriedout using an illumination lamp facility having red light emittingelements and blue light emitting elements, which are capable of beingindependently operated, and the red light emitting elements and the bluelight emitting elements exhibit a light emission intensity ratio of redlight to blue light of at least 1:1 as expressed by a ratio ofphotosynthetic photon flux density of red light to blue light.
 7. Themethod of cultivating a plant according to claim 1, wherein the redlight irradiating step (A) and the blue light irradiating step (B) arecarried out using an illumination lamp facility having red lightemitting elements and blue light emitting elements, which are capable ofbeing independently operated, and the red light emitting elements andthe blue light emitting elements exhibit a light emission intensityratio of red light to blue light in the range of 2:1 to 9:1 as expressedby a ratio of photosynthetic photon flux density of red light to bluelight.